Grain-binding harvester



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. L., MILLER.

GRAIN BINDING HARVESTER.

No. 341,676. Patented May 11, 1886.

.dftorney N. PETERS Pholo-Likhognphen wnshin wn. D. C.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. MILLER.

GRAIN BINDING HARVESTER.

(No Model.)

No. 341,676. Patented May 11 1886.

W'ITAESSES N. PETERS. Plmm-ulha ra her. WashingYon. u. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

L. MILLER.

GRAIN BINDING HARVESTER.

No. 341.676. Patented May 11 1886.

' Attorney PATENT OFFICE.

LElVIS MILLER, OF AKRON, OHIO.

GRAlN-BINDING HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,676, dated May 11,1886.

I Application filed May 13,1884. Serial. No. 131,332. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS MILLER, of Al; ron, county of Summit, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grain- Binding Harvesters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of ma chines in which the grain is bound upon an inclined elevating-table located at the inner side of the platformcarrier and receiving the grain directly therefrom; and it consists in a novel construction of the main or platform frame; in a novel construction of the c0mbined chair and gear-block supporting the binder-gear standard, and in the arrangement of the latter relative to said chair; in a novel arrangement and construction of the shaft actuating the pickers or gatherersinterposed between the platform-carrier and the packing and binding mechanism, and in the arrange ment of means for actuating the same and the platfornrcarrier; and in a novel construction of the dumpi ng-tray or bu ndle-carricr, as hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a portion of a harvestingma chine embracing my improvements. Fig. 2 is also a plan view, with the binder-table removed to show the arrangement of the crankshafts actuating the packers and pickers or gatherers. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the inachine,looking from the stubble side. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the gear-block, tonguesocket, and chair supporting the bindei gear standard and a portion of said standard, and Fig. 4 a perspective view thereof. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4: with the drive-wheelaxle arm added; Fig. 6. a rear view of the pickers or gatherers, and Fi 7 a plan view of the picker-shaft detached.

Theplatform-frame is composed of the usual front and rear sills, A and A, connected at their outer ends in any usual or preferred in anner, and parallel one with the other to apoint near the inner roller of the platform-carrier B, orslightly insidethereof, at which poi nt the rear sill is bent or deflected forward slightly, as indicated at A terminating inside andnear the path of the driving-wheel G, and connected sill A, with the flanges forming the tongue socket at right angles thereto,in a manner well understood; but the arm or flange (2,011 which the seat (1 for the binder-gear standard is formed, projects obliquely rearward and out ward toward the grain'carrier, giving to the seat (1 and to the gear-standard E, supported thereon, the oblique arrangement shown. A curved strap or brace, (Z extends from the up per end of the arm d outward and downward, and is secured to the sill A, for stiffening the support of the chair D, which is provided with suitably-arranged bearings for the transverse pinionshaft a and the obliquelyarranged main binder-gear shaft b, connected by bevelgears with and operated from the shaft a.

The gear-standard E has IQAIWHIdlY-BX- tending tubular arms E and E in which the knotter-actuating and needle shafts are supported, projecting obliquely toward the platform-carrier, one under and the other over an inclined elevating-table, F, which receives the grain directly from the platformcarrier B, and on which the grain is bound. This table, at its side adjacent to the carrier, is supported on a suitable longitudinal sill connecting the front and rear platformsill and its upperside on the lower tubular arm, E, of the gear-standard or other suitable support, and is made tapering from the front to rear, its upper edge inclining downward and inward toward the platform-carrier, as shown at f. To this in clined oblique edge is hinged the upper forward edge of an inclined flap, F, which is also made tapering inward and rearward, its rear edge, j", when depressed, resting over the oblique inner end, A of the rear platformsill, A.

The table F and flap or apron F have their forward edges at 1", adjacent to the bindergear standard and drive-wheel, curved, and the two, when joined, approximate a quadrant in form in plan view, as shown.

To the oblique inner end, A of the sill A is pivoted in suitable bearings a roekshaft, G, provided with rearwardly-projecting fingers g, and with a crank-arm, g, from which a rod,

5 extends forward to a foot-lever, 9", arranged in convenient position to be operated by the driver, who by vibrating said lever can raise or allow the fingers to drop at will. \Vhen the fingers are raised and the rear edge of the to flap or apron Fis in its normal position, they form together a V-shaped tray or buudlcaeceptacle, in which the bundles are received from the bindertable as they are bound, and from which they are discharged in rear of the machine as often as the fingers are allowed to drop. The bundles, while carried in the V-shaped tray formed by the inclined apron F and fingers, rest below the delivery-edge of the binder-table and out of the way of the 0 binding devices, and are discharged from the.

binder-table into said tray, or over the apron F and upon the ground, by arms on the intermittingly-rotating knotter-actuating shaft, as .shown, or other usual or suitable means for that purpose. The packer and main bindergear shaft I) is geared to the pinionshaft, as above stated, and is arranged obliquely to the path of the machine, and also to the path of movement of the platform-carrier, and paral- 1e], or thereabout, with the obliquely-arranged binder-gear-standard arms E and E and serves to impart motion to the binder-gearing in a manner well understood. The forward end of shaft b is supported in an oblique bearing in the gear-block and chair 1), and its rear end by a tumbling extension, I), in a bearing-bracket, 0, on the longitudinal plank A. The tumbling extension b, which is connected by a universal joint at I) with the part I), is set at an angle with the latter, and parallel, or nearly so, with a shaft, 11., actuating the pickers or gathering-fingers. The shaft h is mounted in suitable bearings, 17, on the plank A at an angle oblique to the inner roller of the platform-carrier, and also to the packer-shaft 1), intermediate of the two, and is actuated from the tumbling extension I) of shaft 1) by suitable chain and sprocket wheels, as shown. The shaft h has also a tumbling extension, h, at its rear end, mounted in a bearing-bracket, h", secured to the rear sill, A, or rear end of the plank A", the extension h being arranged in a plane parallel with the shaft of the inner roller of the platform-carrier, and connected with the latter for driving it through suitable sprocket wheels and drivechain, as shown. The cranks 7L3 in the shaft 71, for actuating the pickers or gathering-fingers, lengthen gradually toward 6a the forward end,where, owing to the oblique arrangement of the shaft, the portion of the illclined binder-table directly above it is higher than at the rear end,and the slots in the table, through which the gathering-fingers work, in- 6 5 crease correspondingly in length toward the front to accommodate the increased throw of said fingers, due to the increasinglength of the actuatiugcranks.

k k represent the pickers or gathering-fingers, supported at their heel ends by links 7;, pivoted to brackets on the plank A and connected with and actuated by the cranks h", in a manner well known, and in consequence of their oblique arrangement and the increased throw given to the forward fingers the latter serve to turn the straw into an oblique position on the table, adapting it to be operated upon by the packers and binding mechanism having the oblique arrangement shown and described. The packers (indicated at Z Z) also work up through oblique slots in thetable Rand have their heel ends supported by links Z", also pivoted in brackets on the plank A. A butter (indicated at M) serves to assist the obliqucly-arranged pickers or gathering-fingers in swinging the butts 0f the grain around for bringing the straw into proper relation to the packers antLbinding mechanism. The shaft (indicated at m) is connected by a bevelgear onits lower end with and operated from a bevel-gear, m, on the forward end of the picker shaft h. The shaft m is supported at its lower end on the binder-frame or inner shoe,

and at its upper end in a bracket, 12, attached to an oblique bar, N, connected by suitable braces with the upper binderarm sleeve, as

shown, said bar serving as a support also for the knotter-shield or breast-plate O, and also for pickers or gathering-fingers working above the table, when desired, in a manner well understood.

Parts of the machine not specifically de scribed may be constructed and arranged in any usual or preferred manner.

Having now described my invention, I claim as new- 1. The combination of the rear sill of the platform-frame with the bundle-carrier, the sill having its inner end deflected forwardly, and forming a support for the obliquely-arranged shaft of the dumping-fingers of the bundle'-carrier, substantially as described.

2. The bundle-carrier consisting of the inclined flap or apron hinged at its upperedge to the delivery side of the binder-table, and the dumping-fingers having the oblique arrangement described, and hinged to the lower edge of said flap, whereby they are adapted to form, together with said inclined flap, a tray in which the bundles are carried in a plane below the delivery side of the table, and to swing downward to dump the bundles, substantially as described.

3. The combined gear-block, tongue-socket, and support for the binder-gear standard,having the arm supporting the said gear-standard arranged obliquely to the body of the block or casting, substantially as described.

4. The combined gear-block, tonguesocket, and support for the binder-gearstandard, provided with the obliquely-arranged supporting arm and seat for the binder-gear standard, in

ICC

7. The picker or gatherer shaft, combined with and interposed between the platformcarrier and the packer-shaft at an angle to the latter, and operated from a tumbling extension thereof, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the packer-shaft, the obliquely-arranged picker or gatherer shaft, and the platform-carrier roller connected with and operated fromatumbling extension of the pickershaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of May, A. D. 1884.

LEWIS MILLER.

\Vitnesses:

O. L. SADLER, F. B. HARGETT. 

